[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4622-4623]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES TO SPAIN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, a week ago we all mourned the loss, along 
with our brothers and sisters and friends in Spain, of so many innocent 
civilians.
  Having had the opportunity to live in Spain for 2 years, I would like 
to take a few moments, if I may, to express my personal condolences in 
the hopes that our Congress, in its entirety, will do so before long.

  Como estadounidense y miembro del Congreso de los Estados Unidos de 
America, quiero expresar mis mas profundas condolencias al pueblo de 
Espana por la tragica perdida de tantos inocentes en manos del 
terrorismo. Personalmente, tuve la oportunidad de vivir en Espana 
durante dos anos, y desde entonces llevo una parte de ese pais y de su 
gente en mi corazon. Hoy mi alma llora las muertes provocadas por la 
crueldad del terror. Hoy, todos somos espanoles.
  Nuestras naciones han sido a lo largo de la historia, aliados y 
amigos, unidos por los mismos valores y por una herencia comun. 
Compartimos libertad, compasion, tolerancia y democracia. Tambien es 
voluntad comun mantenernos juntos y firmes contra aquellos que amenazan 
esos valores y matan inocentes en nombre del fanatismo politico y 
religioso.
  Cuando nuestro pais sufrio los atentados del once de septiembre, el 
pueblo espanol y el resto del mundo ofrecio a esta nacion y a su gente, 
apoyo, comprension y solidaridad. Ese ofrecimiento sin condiciones 
supuso mas de lo que nunca podremos agradecer.
  Ahora, somos nosotros y el resto del mundo los que debemos alargar 
nuestras manos hacia Espana y su gente. Permidnos que os abracemos como 
vosotros lo hicisteis. Permitidnos guardar el luto de vuestras 
victimas. Queremos agradeceros vuestra lealtad y mantener el compromiso 
de llevar a la justicia a los responsables de esta atrocidad.
  Los terroristas nunca venceran. Su brutalidad y sus objetivos son 
contrarios a la civilizacion, a la decencia y a las aspiraciones de los 
seres humanos.
  Nunca venceran, pero hasta que podamos con ellos de una vez por 
todas, tendran que pagar un precio muy alto. No hay mayor evidencia de 
sus errores que este acto atroz de crueldad contra gente inocente que 
iba a su trabajo o a su centro de estudios. Por ello, debemos 
mantenernos unidos frente al terror, unidos con nuestros amigos y 
aliados, unidos con Espana.
  Cuando vivi alli y aprendi su bonita lengua con mis grandes amigos, 
me impresiono el hecho de que la frase ``I'm sorry'' signifique 
realmente ``lo siento''. Permitanme decir a mis amigos espanoles que 
``sentimos'' su perdida. Sabemos lo que es ese dolor, esa tristeza y la 
indignacion e impotencia por unas muertes tan injustas. Hemos sentido 
en carne propia el drama del terror y lo volvemos a sentir con 
vosotros.
  No hay palabras que puedan consolar tanto dolor, pero debeis saber 
que en este momento no estais solos. Juntos, triunfaremos. Llevaremos a 
los responsables ante la justicia y mas importante: les ensenaremos con 
el ejemplo de nuestros dos grandes paises, que existe un camino mejor. 
Un camino que demuestre nuestra fuerza comun y nuestro amor por la 
libertad.
  Fuerza, amigos espanoles . . . fuerza, coraje, y animo. Estamos con 
vosotros, hoy y siempre.
  (English translation of the above statement is as follows:)

  As an American citizen and member of the Congress of the United 
States of America, I want to express my profound condolences to all of 
the people of Spain for the tragic loss of so many innocents at the 
hands of terrorists. Having lived in Spain for 2 years, part of my 
heart and soul will always remain in Spain and part of Spain will 
always be within me. Today, my heart and soul are saddened by the 
losses and outraged by the inhumanity of the attackers. Today, we are 
all Spanish and we have all lost good people and friends.
  Our nations have long been allies and friends, united by shared 
values and a common heritage. Liberty, compassion, tolerance, and 
democratic institutions are dear to all of us. So too is our 
willingness to stand together against those who would threaten those 
values and who kill innocents in the name of political and religious 
zealotry. Because of our shared values, we are now also united in 
suffering and loss.
  When our Nation suffered on September 11th, the people of Spain and 
the rest of the world reached out to offer our own Nation and our 
people

[[Page 4623]]

comfort, support and solidarity. That outpouring of kindness and 
support meant more than we could possibly express at the time.
  Now, it is we and the rest of the world who reach out our hands to 
Spain and to all of the people of Spain. Let us embrace you now as you 
embraced us. Let us comfort you now as you comforted us. Let us grieve 
with you for your losses. And let us also pledge our loyalty to you and 
our commitment to bring those responsible for this atrocity to justice.
  In the end, the terrorists will never win because their methods of 
brutality and their goals are contrary to civilization, contrary to 
decency, and contrary to the highest aspirations and realizations of 
human beings.
  They will never win, but until they are defeated once and for all, 
they will exact a heavy, heavy toll. Now, tragically, as so often 
before, they have taken that toll from innocents on their way to work 
and school. There could be no greater evidence of the fallacy of their 
aims and beliefs than this heinous act of cruelty. That is why we stand 
united against them, united with our friends an allies, united with the 
people of Spain.
  When I lived in Spain and was taught this beautiful language by my 
dear friends, I was struck by the fact that the translation of the 
English phrase ``I am sorry'' is lo siento, literally, I feel it. Lo 
siento, I feel it. Let me say to my friends in Spain that we feel your 
losses. We know something of the feeling, we know the pain, we know the 
sadness, we know the rage at such pointless, unjust slaughter. We have 
felt these things ourselves and now we feel it once again with you and 
for you.
  No words can take that pain away, but please know in this dark time 
that you are not alone. Together, we will prevail. We will bring those 
responsible to justice and, more importantly still, we will show 
through the examples of our two great lands and peoples that there is a 
better path, a better way. Let us never lose sight of that higher 
vision and let the ways we respond to these tragedies show our true 
strength and or love for freedom and for one another.
  Courage my friends. Courage, strength, and compassion. We are with 
you and always will be.

                          ____________________